With the shipment being a day late this week thanks to Labor Day, I thought I would focus on an intriguing series from the House Of Ideas. As much as I have criticised them in the past (not that it stops me reading every month, but could I call myself a true comics fan without the griping?), this seems to be something fresh. New. Certainly a departure from the standard fare, and hopefully one of those little gems that year after year, I will pick up and read again.
The premise is that one guy, as a result of standing up to a pair of thugs and being forced to swallow hospital waste, is unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer. Previously dormant, the biowaste has caused it to turn immediately agressive (hence the title), and this is stated from the lips of Mister Reed Richards himself, so there is very little doubting it.
However, this is comics, and there is another interesting side-effect that our central character Dennis has to deal with, while contemplating what to do with the rest of his life, short as it is. A life seemingly blighted by tragedy already, with the loss of his sister and her husband, but blessed (if you could call it that) with his stroppy, resentful and obviously grieving teenage neice. Hardly the easiest ride, but very very real. Even with appearances by the Thing, Mr Fantastic and Spider Man (in a lovely little homage there), this comic does not scream spandex.
The writer Rick Remender is not one whose name I normally remember (no pun intended) but looking at his biography and noticing that The End League (Dark Horse) is amidst his works, I feel satisfied in having high expectations here. The sense of tragedy is not forced, you can see it on the page itself laid out before you and I find I am already missing Dennis, who seems to be more a symbol of hope rather than despair.
So if you are missing your Wednesday comics fix and you overlooked this one previously, give it a go.
